Next Wednesday
by Kitkat3011
Summary: Follows the adventures of the Doctor and Clara, may become more mature as I go on haven't really decided to be honest.
1. Introduction

All right then, see you next Wednesday."

He could hardly wait. I mean for a time traveller it wasn't a long wait. The brief time it took the TARDIS to hop a week into the future was meaningless in the grand stretch of the universe, but for him it was agony. Even worse, the slither of dignity he had left and his own stubbornness almost forced him to sit and wait a few hours. Well an hour. Fine it was usually half an hour but the point is he waited. Clara couldn't click her fingers and expect him to immediately show up; she doesn't own him.

For one of the greatest minds in the universe the Doctor was often wrong when it came to emotion. Especially when it was one he didn't want to admit to himself. The delusion that Clara didn't own him- now that was a spectacular example of him being wrong. Quite frankly the short, bossy, control-freak did own him and there was nothing he could do about it.

In true madman fashion he wizzed around the TARDIS, arms and legs flailing like a giraffe on roller skates. He flipped switches, cranked levers and almost whooped for joy. Despite seeing her less than ten minutes ago (like I said he's very bad at waiting) the Doctor could hardly contain himself. His brilliant plan was to take Clara to meet JFK and to hopefully avoid Marilyn Monroe, as he as stated many times before, that wasn't a real chapel! Oh but this one was going to be good, Clara had mentioned her interest in President Kennedy before, so off-handedly like she had forgotten she was best friends with a time traveller. When she was younger she was fascinated with him- the Doctor had only slightly teased about her 'morbid curiosity'- and now she was going to meet him. All he had to do was land the TARDIS in the oval office and he'd done that before much to Nixon's security's displeasure. The TARDIS landed exactly one week later, an average Wednesday. For everyone else. For him it was time to seek the look of wonder on his Clara's face. To see her perfect smile and her caramel eyes go wide- shut up he's not in love with her. At least that's what he tells himself. However as he places himself in a totally natural lean against the TARDIS doors casually glancing at his watch, he can't help but bear the biggest, cheesiest grin as a tiny brunette bounces out of the Maitland house grabs his arm and drags him into the TARDIS as he willingly follows along besotted with her every movement.

"Right wear to? I've been trying to guess all week long but knowing you it's probably some insane planet where dogs speak Spanish," she looked at him with that glint in her eye. She always got that look right before and adventure, that confusing, complexing, completely mesmerising look. "Uhhh hellooo? Earth to Doctor or do you prefer like Jupiter to Doctor?" She gave a quiet giggle at her own joke before looking at him seriously, her smile faltering "You alright?"

"Yes, yes perfectly fine, I'm so fine you could call me Mr fine! Wait no- never call me that ever thats the worst name since Mr clever," he hastily responded barely able to look her in the eye. Clara simply rolled her eyes at the mention of his cyber-counterpart.

"Ok then you just seemed to be staring at me for an awful long time," she smirked and crossed her arms making him blush an even deeper shade of red as he hopped one foot from another.

"No nope just lost in thought, NOW!" He exclaimed with a clap of his hands "Let's pay a visit to John F Kennedy."


	2. Cravendale House

**Hi everybody so this is my first story on here ever and the first time that I'm actually writing for anyone online so any feedback or ideas are welcome! If you want to make suggestions or guess go ahead and if there are any good ones I'll try and thank you, to be honest thank you if you are bearing with me and reading this. Now enough said please enjoy!**

The TARDIS made that delightful wheezing and whirring noise, as the Doctor sprinted about nearly tripping over his own feet. Clara couldn't help but love that noise, the emotion it brought, the notion of upcoming adventure: God she loved it; she _revelled _in it. Of course this love she had was nothing to do with the man beside her, she truly wanted to see this world and all of the others. That's a lie she repeated like a mantra.

Today was going to be amazing. I mean from the day she met the Doctor every Wednesday had been but today? He had outdone himself. The TARDIS was set for 1962 and she was off to meet a childhood hero. She glanced up at that madcap man and smiled. The doctor turned away from the console and met her gaze beaming back as the two adventurers prepared for the, less than perfect, landing from the TARDIS.

"1960's America, oh there's some nostalgia there Martin Luther King! The moon landing! Now that was fun," he looked wistful as he seemed to ponder a past trip Clara could never begin to imagine, but he continued on "I mean yeah it wasn't _great," _he started flapping and wringing his hands in that way when he doesn't quite know what to say as he continued on wincing ever so slightly contemplating carefully "Racism and Vietnam, BUT, JFK he was somewhat better than all that and we are going to focus on the positive because it does get better," he seemed to finish as his arms spread wide and he gave her an expectant look.

"Okay," she seemed to drawl and drag out "Lets just focus on the task at hand here hmm?" She raised an eyebrow and smirked at him grabbing her little red shoulder bag "Let's see what's on the other side of those doors." She moved somewhere between a walk and a hop eager to get outside, to see a little further than a different time zone. Clara turned, her brunette hair flicking over one shoulder, with one hand on the door and both eyes on the Doctor she opened up and stepped outside.

"Somehow when I pictured the Oval Office or even 1960's America I didn't see an ancient Victorian House," Clara remarked trying to stifle a giggle as The Doctor ran a hand through is hair and paced in front of the open doors clearly distraught that his master plan hadn't turned out exactly as he envisioned.

"Oh just stop it, it's definitely the 1960's so the old girl got that right, she just wasn't too set on 1962 Washington," the Doctor basically groaned.

"Oh well do tell where exactly was she set on?" Clara teased, the awkward grimace on his face easing her disappointment, however she couldn't help but soften her gaze as she saw him shift from awkward to downright heartbroken, "Hey hey it's alright," she soothed linking her arm in his "Come on where are we? W_hen _are we?" Clara glanced up at him her smile closing the vast difference in height. He smiled softly in return before opening up his jacket and scanning with his sonic.

"13th of July 1965, Pennsylvania." The Doctor confirmed before lurching forwards, grabbing Clara's hand in his, aiming for the seemingly forgotten house.

The dilapidated building was old, so very old, years of memories clung to every inch but those memories didn't seem to hold love. White paint turned grey with age chipped from the exterior walls, slates were missing from the roof and the whole Victorian mansion seemed like an unfinished castle, an aura of grandeur clung to it yet the lack of care shrunk it to no more than an ordinary house. The windows were murky, a distorted looking glass into the depths of the house and they were paired with cobwebs, highlighting the neglect from the years the house stood through every degree of weather; despite being the middle of July the sky was nearly the colour of ash, a hint of fog creeping around the base of the wrap around porch. Finally, at the very top perched between heaven above and the hellish house beneath was a tower, a rounded turret that Clara instinctively felt terrified of like it had eyes…

The Doctor completely ignoring the termite-ridden stairs grasped the nearest wall and sniffed it, then proceeded to do the only thing that really disturbed Clara about time travel: he licked the house. "Oh God Doctor do you have to? Every time! I can't take you anywhere!" Clara's nose upturned as she adverted her eyes from this wonderful, but bonkers man, who was now trying to get a sense for exactly what he was tasting. She leant against one of the supports underneath the porch but immediately regretted her decision as the whole house groaned in disapproval under her tiny weight, "Woah Doctor did you hear that?" She questioned looking to the resident genius for an explanation however she was met with a look that can only be described as obviously,

"Well you try having someone lean against you without your permission and see how you like it!" He exclaimed,

"Uh Doctor in case you weren't aware, this is a house, it doesn't have opinions on what it likes and dislikes," she playfully rolled her eyes and slowly wandered around the porch but she was just within ear shot to hear him say "Oh I have a feeling this is so much more than a house."

The sign by the mailbox read 'Cravendale House' a rather fitting name the Doctor thought, this place really craved some attention or, at least, thats what he _hoped _it craved. "It was built in 1887, prime Queen Anne architecture, oh and what a beauty I bet she was back in her day," no matter what, the Doctor always had to admire beauty, wether that be a building, a complex piece of tech or even an impossible girl (although he tried to keep his thoughts on that last one to a minimum- emphasis on tried). He was giddy at the thought of a glance inside this magnificent, but sadly derelict mansion-of-sorts, like a kid on Christmas plus he was about to unwrap the biggest dolls house of them all. It was a real shame it seemed to have fallen out of the land of 'Scooby-Doo' rather than a loving craftsman's workshop. Lost in his thoughts he almost missed it, but his eyes are too well trained for that, after thousands of years of practise they don't miss abnormal movement anymore, a dash of white cloth and golden locks morphed across one of the upstairs windows, gone in an instant but absolutely there. He edged closer one foot in front of the other every ounce of clumsiness draining from his gangly body like the colour draining from his face. He had seen it and it had caught is interest. Finally, back in front of the door once painted a crimson red but now demoted to a pale blood colour he grasped the bronze, eagle door knocker in his hand, giving three sharp raps one after the other. Clara came to meet him at his side, the two shared a look no one on the outside could ever decipher; an entire conversation held in a split-second glance. The door inched open ever so slowly, creeping like the house itself was putting in the effort, until they were met face to face with a little girl. She wore a navy, tartan pinafore with a white jumper and matching socks. Her shoes were cherry red and the entire air around her contrasted the dying house. She was squeaky clean, perfectly manicured despite being just a child, almost like she had fallen right out of a catalogue. The Doctor however was more focused on the distinct lack of something. The girl he had seen in the window was a sunshine blonde. This girl had hair the colour of raven, cropped into a sleek bob, not a hair out of place. Now the Doctor is never one to assume because of course, there could be another girl in the house- it doesn't always have to be something sinister.

He rocked back on his heels, hands clasped behind his back whilst both he and Clara plastered on smiles worthy of politicians. He bent down towards the girl and said "Hello there, I'm the Doctor and this is my friend Clara is anybody else home?"

In a strong American accent the young girl stared him straight in they eye and said "Just me and my brother Stephen, my Mom's out and my dad-" she cut off before turning back and calling for her brother leaving the Doctor to question the child in the window. Who else or what else is in Cravendale House?

**So I'm sorry if any of you are disappointed we aren't actually meeting JFK but in all fairness this is the way of the TARDIS she takes them where they need to go not where they want to, another chapter will be coming soon hopefully before the end of the week but probably sooner 3**


	3. The Downings

The hallway was a contrast, an unwavering sense of destruction masked by mahogany stairs paired with detailed carvings of spirals on the bannister. Equal parts grand and abandoned. In the centre of it all the girl.

"Whats your name?" The Doctor questioned eyes searching for answers beyond his question.

"Eden Downing." Her voice was clear. Precise. Unlike any little girl he hd encountered before. It's the little things that make the biggest impact on a person. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Clara reaching out toward a painting, it hung in an ornate frame of gold and contained a woman. Her smile was bright but her eyes held heartbreak, an icy blue that matched Eden's in all but emotion. The light hadn't died in the younger girls eyes yet. "My mom," Eden interjected "The height of the roaring 20's she was 17 when they painted that," the Doctor stared at the girl, she was _wrong. _He was calculating in his head and the numbers didn't seem to match. Nothing added up.

Clara, on the other hand, had moved on from the unassuming painting and was now mesmerised by the family room and the magnificent marble fireplace adorned with a grandfather clock, the beauty of the clock face distracted her from the repeated ticking of the seconds hand. The repeated ticking of the same three seconds. She ran her hand along the mantel, dust covering her fingertips, continuing on towards the book case lightly tracing the spines of the books. Books that have been ignored for a long, long time. Clara twirled around on one foot back towards the Doctor when she saw him, leaning against the arch connecting the two rooms, hands stuffed into his pockets with a dopey grin on his face that appeared to light his ancient, dark eyes, the eyes that watched her fascinated. Clara had seen that look before through all the Wednesdays they travelled together out of the corner of her eye, she saw this look on his face and the only word that came to mind was: _longing. _But every time she shook it off. Something she recalled from a certain empath _"We think people are feeling the way we want them to feel". _Clara knew you didn't have to be an empath to wish for someone to love you; every human in the world would be guilty if that were a crime. Despite her understanding of this Clara couldn't help but plaster the biggest, realest smile on her face, no matter the danger they were in or the planet they were on, when he looked at her in that way that seemed reserved for her, in the way she _hoped _was reserved for her: She would tear planets apart to hold that smile in place forever.

"Good evening," a sharp voice echoed from the shadows, "and who would I have the pleasure of meeting?" A young man emerged from the shadows, almost a carbon copy of Eden, hair as dark as night, eyes of striking blue and a jawline that could cut. Clara thought he could be perfect if it wasn't for the thick, jagged scar running along the left side of his face. Despite being a young man he walked with a plain, wooden cane, moving ever so slowly towards the centre of the room, where Clara stood.

"Uh Clara and this is the Doctor," she said in a near stammer, gesturing towards the Doctor who had swiftly crossed the room. Not that this was a difficult task for him and his long legs, Clara had a much more difficult time of getting anywhere nearly as quickly. She looked at him with a quizzical expression: his face was pure marble, solid and cold, his eyes had lost their light in an instant as they searched the man up and down like taking measurements.

"Wonderful will you be staying for dinner?" He asked rubbing his hands together more in an act of cold than habitat.

"Yes I think we will," the Doctor said bowing his head "Or perhaps if its quite alright with you, we might stick around a little longer, big house like this- you'll hardly even notice us."

He fixated his gaze back on to the man, staring straight to his soul.

"Ah of course that should be fine," the man declared awkwardly. Many people do that once the Doctor has rattled their cage, Clara had seen him do it a million times, he poses a statement as a question makes it seem like their idea and he gets in anywhere. To be honest Clara sometimes didn't see the point in the psychic paper not when The Doctor is meddling with psychological warfare like this. "I am Stephen Downing," he introduced himself "It appears you've already met young Eden,"

"Yes, yes we have she is very young isn't she?" The Doctor raised a near invisible eyebrow "Especially compared to you Stephen whats the gap there huh? 18 years? That's very unusual not improbable but…unusual." Stephen blinked and looked at the Doctor as if he just told him penguins weren't real.

"I'd never considered it before," his eyes falling to the ground "I'll ask Nanny to show you to your room?"

_"__Rooms." _The Doctor clarified though he didn't seem all too happy about it. Clara knew for definite she wasn't all too happy about it (although she'd rather die than admit that fact).

An elderly woman Clara assumed to be Nanny hobbled into the room. Dressed in a plain black dress and a stark white pinafore she seemed rather severe but she looked at Eden and Stephen with such love it softened her features into a beautiful face. She didn't utter a word but instead gestured them to follow her towards the stairs.

"I understand you don't have any luggage!" Stephen called after them.

"No we like to travel light," the Doctor replied turning to face Stephen with an easy grin but big, sad eyes "Come along Clara I suppose we should get ready for dinner, thank you Mr Downing for the _generous hospitality."_


	4. The Crimson Dress

Nanny gestured to the rooms directly opposite each other along the corridor, a torn rug ran the length of it which seemed to go on forever even if the space was so _tight. _She didn't say anything. Not a single word. She just smiled a soft smile and took Clara by the arm guiding her to her bedroom. Inside was beautiful, Clara was astounded something so eerie like this house could have such decorated rooms but here it was. It wasn't regal and grand- no it was clean, white but homely. A brass bed with bed-knobs was in the centre of the room piled high with white sheets and goose feather pillows a vintage lamp (which must be fairly modern considering the time period Clara reminded herself) stood either side on oak end tables. Lace curtains guarded the windows but they couldn't hide the chipping paint of the windowsill or the shambled garden down below. Finally, tucked away in the corner was an old rocking chair with carved roses on the arms. Clara couldn't help but marvel at the room, it was nothing too special but something about it felt familiar. "Oh it's wonderful, thank you… Nanny wasn't it?" Clara turned to face the old woman as worn as the house however only received a simple nod in return before Nanny seemed to realise something and shuffled over to the wardrobe. It was plain and wooden but inside it was filled with bright and wondrous clothes from the 1920's. Clara ran her fingers along the beautiful dresses wondering why on earth were they still here, when she turned to ask Nanny the maid was gone leaving Clara in silence.

The Doctor on the other hand had very little time to focus on the interior design of the place, he had swiftly shooed Nanny away assuring her he could manage himself in that brisk Time Lord manner which made Clara raise an eyebrow. Instead he was pacing. What didn't add up? This house so ancient yet new. The girl so young yet so precise. The man so perfect yet so broken. The mother simply so out of time. Nothing made sense about this place and using Clara Oswald as an example of things that didn't make sense the Doctor loved things that didn't make sense. NO. He loved_ solving _things that didn't make sense. There is a difference and he certainly didn't love that small, bossy control freak: of course not that would be absurd. Forcing himself back into his current reality he pulled a notepad and pen from his jacket (why just have a ship that's bigger on the inside when you can have pockets too?) And began jotting down a timeline fitting this family around it. Well, he would if they fit. He must have sat there for hours pondering their whole existence, Amy Pond's glasses pressed to his face and pen lid in his teeth, over and over again until he heard a knock on the door: "Uh mister Doctor sir? Stephen told me to inform you and Miss Clara that dinner is nearly ready and to wear a suit- my brother is rather particular," the American accent pooled through the door but all he could think about was the language she used 'Inform'? What kind of child says that? Like her mind has aged but not her body.

He resigned himself to preparing for dinner however the thought of further investigation and interrogation lingered on his mind, the exact questions he would ask them forming in his mind. Someone presumably Nanny had left a suit with long tails and a waistcoat hanging up outside and he was dressed to the nines. Yes this dinner was going to go like clockwork he would find all of his answers and solve the mystery. Nothing would derail this plan. Or so he thought. The one variable he hadn't planned for was a beautiful brunette in a beaded, crimson dress entering the dining room he was already sat in. The dress was long, fitted in just the right places or maybe that was just Clara? He didn't know; all he knew was that is was distracting- _very distracting_. She smiled rows of pearly whites at the others around the table and he had to clear his throat to keep himself sane not just to remind himself to breathe. The cough had allowed him to snap his gawking mouth shut however it had not stopped him from staring which he hoped through the flickering candlelight would go unnoticed. Of course it didn't.

"Are you ok Doctor?" She looked at him tilting her head feigning concern, though due to his understanding of humans he believed it to be real.  
"Absolutely, brilliant, fantastic, beautiful," His eyes went wide at the last word that fell from his stupid lips. Beautiful? His mind raced a billion, trillion combinations of getting out of this (apparently vaporising all present company was not a good idea to his rational mind) instead he resorted to "The house! Beautiful isn't it! I was just admiring how beautiful the house was don't you think?" He was so caught up in his own awkward salvation he missed the downcast look from his companion who had hoped he might be complimenting her for a change.

"Oh yes it's amazing how long has it been in your family?" Clara asked resting her chin in her hands focusing on Stephen whom she had sat across from on the great, oak table. It was even more difficult being sat next to her inches away…only a few layers between them- he sharply reminded himself to snap out of it because he had missed what Stephen had been saying, though the Doctor doubted it was worth much considering. He looked at him with a thinly veiled glare of contempt all jawline and striking eyes, if he kept gazing at Clara that way he was going to give him another scar to match. Stop it. He had to scold himself. He forced his ears to listen to whatever bland story Stephen was spinning that seemed to have Clara so captured. He made out the family had lived here since 1894 the year it was built and soon lost interest again instead focusing on the lock of hair that hung over the side of Clara's face the urge to reach out and tuck it behind her ear- that GIT. He'd just reached out over the table and moved her hair and stroked her cheek, thats not right, no one does that but him: the Doctor. His Clara and his move. His jaw hardened and he was ready to interject when he heard it. An ear splitting shriek erupted through the house, shaking the walls and the foundation. Could he never have one nice uninterrupted dinner? The Doctor leapt up throwing his chair back and held out his hand to Clara. She grabbed it immediately and they shared a grin before rushing out of the dining room to see what awaited for them in the rest of the house.

Clara loved this. The pulsating adrenaline as the two travellers sprinted towards the danger, she loved every second. She loved him. As far as she was concerned however, he never took the slightest bit of notice in her and her continued flirting only made him uncomfortable due to his awkward nature. She never believed even for a second it was because he was starting to like her in a way he probably shouldn't.

"Right you check downstairs, I'll check upstairs meet back here in fifteen minutes." He barked commands at her.

"I don't think so chinny, I'm coming with you. If this place is spooky and haunted I don't want the Scooby gang splitting up and looking for clues I'm sticking right by you," Clara loved contradicting him and fighting back, he gazed down his beaming smile closing the gap "Well then Miss Oswald I ain't afraid of no ghost how about you?" He whispered in her ear setting the hairs on the back of her neck up on edge, but if she's being truthful it wasn't because she was scared.

"Nope lead the way Freddie," she said in a mock American accent grabbing his outstretched arm and sprinting down the corridor.

He was scanning his sonic screwdriver the faint buzz being the only noise in this part of the house and the green glow the only light. "It has to be round here somewhere," he muttered growing more impatient by the minute. They had been combing the house for half an hour and nothing, the Doctor simply couldn't help but note what little help Stephen was in all of this. Distracted from his main task as the gleeful thought of winning clouded his mind the Doctor missed the door that wasn't there before. Clara didn't.

"Doctor!" She called "This wasn't here earlier."

"Are you sure?" He leaned in close the sonic lighting their faces whilst the moon hung back piercing the impenetrable dark with drips of light from above.

"Of course I am!" She hissed "Remember this is the fourth time we've passed it!" The Doctor held his hands up in joking surrender. He stepped towards the door and clasped his hand around the bronze door knob turning it achingly slowly with Clara inching closer and closer by the second. He snapped it open and they tumbled forward the sonic dropping from his hand onto the floor. It was a cupboard. A tight cupboard. An isolated cupboard. All he could think about was the close proximity between him and the impossible girl and the clinging, red dress that hung between them. He felt her breath rise to his neck from the cold and had to grip the shelves behind him, turning his knuckles white to stop himself grabbing her there and then. He was so focused on the gorgeous girl in front of him and the faint outline of her lips in the dark he forgot about his sonic screwdriver on the other side of the door and he didn't realise the other thing about this cupboard. It was a locked cupboard.


	5. a Sentient Being

**HI! I'm still going with this hopefully you are liking I'm thinking only two or three more chapters on this lets say episode then i might try a different planet. If you have any suggestions feel free to leave them and any of your theories/opinions. I haven't decided wether I'll make this M cause it's not everyone's cup of tea perhaps I'll make the chapter skippable or a separate story you can choose to read. Either way lets get on with the story Enjoy!**

"Well this is _cosy," _Clara chuckled glancing up at his face, out of habit since she was blind in the dark "Can you find a light switch? If not we can just use the sonic." At the mention of the very useful device the Doctor's eyes grew wide as realisation dawned. He patted every single pocket and even went so far to check his sleeves but no screwdriver materialised. He swivelled or at least tried to in the confined space and rattled the door silently begging it to open and for it to stay shut: the company really wasn't so bad after all. "Bit eager to get out are we?" Clara teased stepping closer if that was physically possible. The Doctor's breath hitched and he cleared his throat growing increasingly more awkward, an all too familiar blush rising in his cheeks (when it comes to Clara he was often blushing).

"Now Clara we have more important issues," he stammered in an attempt to cease the uncomfortable feeling tightening his throat "The door is locked and we are trapped inside," he murmured this slowly contemplating the door running his fingertips along the wood "Ah not much good the sonic would do anyhow- doesn't work on wood."

"Still think you should get that sorted, super alien gizmo and it gets stopped by wood? Bit naff," Clara mocked, the saltiness coming from the lack of physical contact she was receiving at this current moment in time and space.

"Hey don't make fun of the sonic! You complain about the TARDIS not liking you and then you go and insult her friends!" The Doctor was very protective of his machines.

"Right your sonic screwdriver and your TARDIS are not friends that is genuinely insane, seriously Doctor sometimes I think you prefer their company over people," she sighed the alien man's antics sometimes made her weary but then he would grin and she would fall all over again.

"Well-" he dragged out in a high pitched voice. There was some truth to that statement.

"Doctor!" He received a sharp swat across the arm for that.

"Ow ow alright I prefer having you around happy now?" Although he was teasing her his words rang with truth and his eyes grew soft, a pool of dark honey that grew sweeter with every second looking at her. But she couldn't see it. Even when the lights were on.

"Is it just me or did the place get…colder?" She stepped towards him finally closing the gap and pressed herself against the tweed jacket clinging to warmth. They were so comfortable with one another they didn't even notice it. "I mean a bit cliche haunted house gets colder, but it is isn't it?" The Doctor didn't answer her immediately but instead began rubbing her arms quickly to warm her up before smacking himself in the forehead. Hard. "What the hell was that for?"

"God I am so THICK! How could I have missed it?" Clara was just as confused as before.

"Mind telling the rest of the class what you've discovered?"

"Clara. Stephen, Nanny and Eden were downstairs. We were alone." The Doctor said plainly.

"Yeah, so?" She still wasn't getting it.

"Soooo, who locked the door?" The two fell silent a wave of understanding washing between them. "I knew something was off about this place, '_likes and dislikes',"_ he quoted Clara from earlier.

"Doctor what do you mean 'likes and dislikes'?" Something rose in her throat she didn't know what. Scratch that of course she did. Fear.

"The house," he seemed to breath "It's sentient."

It felt like an eternity since the last words the Doctor uttered, in reality it was around 20 seconds. Clara was ready to demand more information from the dramatic statement of before when suddenly a key scraped into the door. A sound so loud in the silence it broke. The door swung open with a creak, light from a single candle illuminating their faces with an orange glow. There stood a girl, older than Eden, younger than Stephen, with golden hair and white nightgown. Tear stained eyes met ancient ones as she guided them through the house not a single word shared between them. Once back to the main staircase she gave the pair a half smile. It was wistful and fleeting almost a sense of longing for something never to be had. The Doctor seemed to awaken from his waking coma as he called out after her a million questions, a mile a minute that for the time being went unanswered.

"Damn Doctor are you feeling ok? Keep shouting on like that you'll have the whole block up in arms.' Stephen hobbled in relying on his cane with Eden not far behind. The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he pocketed the sonic he grabbed before following the girl.

"No Stephen you could say I'm not feeling too _chipper_." Clara could hear the malice dripping from his voice yet she couldn't quite understand it. "There is something very wrong with this house and believe you me I am going to stop it. He began to retreat back up the stairs to his room so he could continue his notes before Stephen interjected "Whats wrong with the house sir?" It was a question but Clara couldn't discern wether it was genuine or not but from the way the Doctor had stormed over and was now face to face with the other man she was going to go with not.

"It's alive Stephen," He seemed to proclaim this before turning back to Clara only briefly and lowering his voice so only Stephen could hear "And my guess is _sir _you aren't."

Clara was sat curled up in the plump armchair in the corner of the Doctor's room, after deciding the red dress was a little bit too uncomfortable (much to the Doctors quiet dismay) she had changed into a white nightgown much like the blonde girls from before. Her eyes were trained on her best friend as he tore pages from an impossibly large notepad he had pulled from his jacket pocket. He never ceased to amaze her. She couldn't help but wonder what exactly he said to Stephen that made the young man gawp but after every time she asked he simply said "Don't worry about it" which Cara found equally hilarious as infuriating since when you travel with the Doctor your best bet is to worry about everything. However she found herself sat here not worrying about anything in particular just watching in amusement as the genius grumbled back and forth with himself. Every now and then he gave a great "A-HA!" Followed by a slightly less enthusiastic "No.". The whole show was ridiculous but Clara found herself noticing each detail no matter how small. The way his eyes flashed darker every time something irritated him. The way he ran a hand through his fairly long hair. Finally, the way every time he was verging on rage he looked at her snapping from his trance and the storm clouds would clear from his mind and eyes. All those little details.

She decided enough was enough and tried to initiate conversation "God it's freezing in here, got any fluffy socks in those pockets of yours?" She joked. He barley even acknowledged her just reached inside his jacket and threw a ball of TARDIS blue fluff at her. "Thanks." She said with a sigh resigning herself to the quiet but still of course sliding the socks on. It was freezing in here after all.

"Why doesn't any of this make sense!" He cried papers billowing around him as he decided to throw them up in the air.

"What doesn't make sense?" She asked her voice soft and reassuring. He turned towards her and breathed out the tension releasing from his shoulders; he walked towards her and squatted down in front of the arm chair finally being lower down than she was for once.

"This place its all out of sync and I can't piece it together the timeline its all off!" He was starting to get annoyed again before Clara reached out and ran a hand through his hair like she'd seen him do a million times before but instead she carried on to his cheek letting him rest his weary head in her hand.

"It's ok you'll solve it just rest now just for a bit," she soothed. He looked up at her almost weak. Putty in her hands.

"How do you know?" He asked because he had really forgotten.

"Because I know you and you are the Doctor. You always do." She stood up then leaving him cold from the lack of her touch. "Off to bed with you pip pip," She grinned obviously joking but the Doctor distinctly heard other Clara. Clara Oswin Oswald. He merely stared at her remembering the young girl he had lost before, the reason her had vowed to protect this Clara with his life, and gave up. Retreating to his bed bidding Clara goodnight his mind raced with a hundred possibilities 99 of them centring around this house but one niggling thought of Clara and I can't say for sure if that was a mystery he was solving or a different thought entirely.

"Goodnight Doctor," She called from outside the door before peaking just her head round and ending with "Make sure to come running if something goes bump in the night, sweet dreams." She raised her eyebrows before shutting the door behind her and retiring to her own room.

Sweet dreams she said. Well that was exactly what he was planning on.


	6. Time is Bleeding

**Hi again, I'm back with another part I think there may only be one or two more at most now after you've finished please tell me what you think! I'm hoping I've surprised you at least a little and if I have leave a review Thanks for reading!**

A grandfather clock echoed throughout the house for the fifth time since Clara had gone to bed, chiming that irritating tune marking the hours as they slowly passed. Yet she couldn't sleep, the place was cold and the covers that looked lovely were scratchy on her skin. God she missed her room on the TARDIS, she adored staying there when the old bat of a machine allowed her to find it. The TARDIS and Clara had a complicated relationship. The TARDIS viewed her as no more than another in a long line of girls and a boring one at that. Clara viewed the TARDIS as the machine equivalent of the school receptionist who viewed herself as the most crucial part of the school and sneered at all the children despite being a sour piece of work and having very little redeemable qualities. Like I said, complicated relationship. Now though Clara would have put up with every stroppy mood the time machine could throw at her just for the fantastic quilts she provides in every bedroom.

She threw back the blankets after the fifth chime of the night (marking three am) and cautiously placed a toe onto the cold, wooden floor. Immediately regretting that decision she reached over to her nightstand where the socks the Doctor had given her sat and slipped them on. There was no need for her to be tired and freezing. Softly padding to the window Clara drew back the curtains and allowed the moonlight to spill into the dark room, casting shadows all around her. Dinner had been cut short earlier by a vicious scream that they still hadn't found the source of and Clara was still starving. She would have mentioned it before but when is the right time? Certainly not when you are ghost hunting or when you're stuck in a cupboard with a man you sort of definitely fancy or when you are watching said man have a slight mental breakdown over the ghosts you were hunting and there cupboard you were stuck in. There's just never the right time. Everyone had gone to bed a long time ago, little Eden had shook her hand politely and bid her goodnight; that girl was so well-mannered and acted much older than her age Clara couldn't help but admire her but also pity her for the lack of childhood she appeared to have. Stephen on the other hand had drawn inward from whatever the Doctor said to him and stalked off without even a grunt of recognition and Nanny, well Nanny never said anything anyway. So it would be safe to assume that no one was awake and Clara was quite in the clear to raid the kitchen for even the slightest scraps leftover and that is exactly what she planned to do.

Easing the door open to prevent the wheezing creak that seemed to walk hand in hand with all old houses, Clara crept along the corridor and elected to ignore what sounded like the Doctor snoring (at least some of us weren't having issues with sleep). She kept going feeling her way through the dark clinging to the walls like her life depended on it. Who knows, maybe it did? Once she reached the staircase a light flooded her eyes, it wasn't particularly bright but in comparison to the dark she had just emerged from it was a beacon, a lighthouse amongst jagged rocks. Stood in front of the portrait from before was the same blonde girl that had guided herself and the Doctor to safety. Clara swiftly made her way down the stairs, pure determination masking all fear: she was going to find out exactly who she was.

"Hello," Clara began, uneasy at first but continuing on "I'm Clara, Clara Oswald uh what's your name?" She gave a hesitant smile towards the golden girl before recoiling in shock her eyes darting back and forth, pieces of a puzzle clicking into place until there was only one bit missing: _why. _

"Your eyes…how did I not see? You are the spitting image," Clara barley managed to stammer out. The blonde girl instead turned to face the painting in front lightly tracing the edge in a familiar way- like she'd done it a hundred times before.

"Yes it's me, I'm the one in this painting. I'm their mother." Her voice was melancholic, like all the hope had been drained.

"I don't mean this as a compliment I'm being genuinely serious, you are far too young to be the girl in that painting and far too young to have a twenty year old son." Clara replied in bewilderment ,yes she had to admit she was identical to Eden's mother right down to the families crystal blue eyes but it was _impossible. _Eden had said it was painted in the 1920's that meant the woman had to be at least fifty, not _seventeen. _The girl just barked a laugh like what Clara had said was ridiculous and beckoned her to follow into the living room where she sat down and looked expectantly at Clara who followed suit.

"The picture was painted in 1921, I was 17 then. Only two years later I gave birth to my son- Stephen- and then Eden three years after that-"

"But Eden and Stephen are at least a decade apart!" Clara cried disbelief filling her voice.

"Shush, if you want me to explain," The girl raised an eyebrow daring Clara to continue speaking and when she didn't she carried on.

"I died in late 1929 from an influenza only a week before Christmas. I closed my eyes expecting never to wake up… but then I did. Every night usually but it changes never a specific time. I saw myself in the mirror on one of those long nights my face was younger exactly the same as my picture. I understood then. I am a ghost condemned to wander these halls for eternity and I grew to accept my fate. However it happened again. Not to me no obviously but to Stephen. Another war broke out, I'm sure you remember and in 1943 he lost his life on the front lines, he was only twenty years old…my husband received the photos of his body, his face and what it had become and the next night he was here but as a permanent fixture unlike me. They could see him whilst they couldn't see me all the time I never understood why…but my husband grew to hate this place he wanted to leave to take Eden and go but it's like something was stopping him. That was until Eden met that man. An evil man. He took her life and left her so mangled there was nothing left to copy into a ghost form so it used the next best thing. A photo. We didn't have many so the last one was from when she was six. Then she was here, a little girl with the mind of a woman, never allowed to grow up. My husband left then in 1947, nothing to keep him here but ghosts. He's still out there somewhere. Eden is still struggling to accept it anytime I'm not here she says I'm out. However I've taken to rarely being here like I'm a second out of sync. Like someone or something else intends to raise them." She finished at last and stared straight into Clara's soul, who at this point was gawking, I mean meeting someone from the past who is now dead that's one thing but meeting an actual ghost? It's a bit different.

"You keep saying 'it'. What is 'it'?" Clara finally managed to ask.

"The house." The Doctor's voice echoed through the room, Clara hadn't even heard him come in, "That would be 'it', isn't that right? Sorry didn't catch the name."

"Ruth. Ruth Downing."

"Oh Ruth I am sorry, I am so so sorry," He strode towards her and bent down clutching her hands as he apologised.

"Doctor I don't understand, if she's a ghost how can you touch her?" Clara asked now perched just on the edge of the couch.

"They aren't ghosts Clara they are a perfect copy, a memory come to life from a photograph or a painting. A lonely building's physic link, copy and pasting its inhabitants when they die so it can never be alone… 'likes and dislikes' Clara it's so much more than a house. The outside truly shows what it is, a derelict bygone of a forgotten era, no ones been here for just under 20 years and it's starting to show. However no one told the inside, the core. It's still ticking away, it's still ticking the same three seconds. I noticed it earlier I thought hey broken clock, but it's not just that. Time is bleeding, parts of this place feel ancient and worn, some of it from the 20's some of it the 60's. The grandfather clock keeps going signalling the passing of time but the mantle clock is stuck just like you three and it's never going to stop. You will be trapped here forever and the house will keep on going eventually becoming part of a forgotten jungle of a garden whilst the inside stays perfectly the same and every chance it gets it will make another copy, to fill that void." The Doctor finished his hands falling to his sides, it's impossible after all for him to talk without his hands.

"I don't understand Doctor how can a house have a void to fill?" Clara finally stood up to meet him in the middle of the room faces inches apart as they pieced the mystery together.

"I'm not entirely sure but I think it has something to do with Nanny."  
"What makes you say that?" Clara tilted her head wondering what the sweet old lady could have to do with this.

"Oh I don't know an intense love for the children she seems to share with the house who separates them from their mother, the fact that she's dressed like she's from 1890 and possibly because she's been stood behind us this entire time." Clara's eyes grew wide and the pair turned slowly round to where Nanny stood staring at them a smile on her face.

"Such a clever pair, so inquisitive and such a beautiful girl you'd be happy here you know, you could stay here, with me forever Miss Clara." The voice was deep and gravelly. The voice of the house.

"Leave her alone." The Doctor commanded dark and dangerous, he wrapped an arm around her instinctively holding her tight to him, never letting go.

"Not you though old man, you could never stay somewhere for so long I couldn't keep _you_ but there is hope for the little thing," Nanny turned her attention back to Clara her once kindly eyes, now beady and calculating.

"Like hell there is, I think you'll find I have other plans!" Clara shouted before gripping the Doctors hand and yelling "RUN!".

They barrelled into his room and bolted the door behind them, both heaving and gasping for breath.

"Oh my god the sweet old lady, Nanny for goodness sakes, is a monstrous, sentient house!" Clara paced her head whirling with new information.

"Clara we aren't safe here." The Doctor groaned running a hand through his hair.

"What do you mean? Ohhh I understand, we ran away from the house by running into a different room in the house," realisation struck her at last.

"Yup maybe only a slightly massive mistake."

"What do we do?" She looked at him with big chestnut eyes and for once he had no answer so he did the only thing he knew he could. He grabbed her, pulling her into him, hugging her to hide his face. He pressed a kiss to her forehead as he realised he had no way out.


	7. Welcome To Eternity

**This took me absolute ages, for the life of me I couldn't figure out how I wanted to end this chapter, I'm not sure wether I've done it justice but hey ho it's my first go. I'd love some ideas or requests for their next adventure or just a review of this one if you have the time. This story is continuing its going to be multiple chapters for one big chapter if that makes sense so the first 7 chapters make up the first, I'm sure I'm making that more complicated than necessary, Anyway Enjoy!**

Clenching his fists tight, the Doctor marched through the house with eyes of steel and determination fixed in his jaw. One foot in front of the other through the lengthy corridor, that seemed to be extending further with every step, he went with no plan and no ideas just sheer improv but he was going to do it brilliantly. Clara tottered along behind slightly wary of the Doctor's current mood; she'd seen him like this before, dark and calculated so different from his usual giddy, child-like self and she wasn't a massive fan of it. He nearly skidded to a halt as Nanny appeared before him almost ghost like herself in the way she randomly showed up.

"Ah look just the demented building's consciousness I wanted to see!" He exclaimed with a clap of his hands masking underlying fury.

"Now now Doctor I don't see what has angered you so, after all I've granted them eternal life how can _you _condemn that?" The deep voice boomed from the elderly woman which Clara still found unnerving and quite frankly, weird.

"_Eternal life?_ This isn't a life!" He seethed "Trapped in this house forever never changing or growing, being separated from reality and then taking the children away from their mother? That isn't life- that's a prison sentence!"

"I saved them from the brink of death?! You who flaunts the laws of time and death whilst holding human life on a pedestal you should be grateful…Time Lord."

"OH so it's a clever house, well done. What exactly do you know of Time lords?" A fake grin was plastered on his face hiding the pain.

"Enough." Nanny replied shortly.

"Well I wish I could say you were my favourite talking house but alas," He threw his hands up in the air ready to carry on when Clara interjected,

"Hang on a minute, you've met talking houses before?" The Doctor hurriedly made his way over to her turning them both away from Nanny and placing both hands on her shoulders as he quickly explained.

"Yes shush I'm in the middle of something, you know the back and forth before I pull something out of the bag you know," He pulled a grimace and waved his hands like a show presenter.

" Well don't let me get in the way of your big moment chief," He threw her a sideways glance of fake annoyance before grinning and focusing his attention back on to Nanny.

"Why are you doing this? What is so special about this family?" He questioned.

"Tragedy. They are seeped in it. When it strikes you have to act quickly," it said it so nonchalantly like it barley mattered which only infuriated the Doctor more.

"See that is an excuse, a quick and easy reason to act not a motive. Now I'm asking nicely what are you?"  
"I am a part of the Vordia, low ranking but powerful enough."

"Oh of course, The Vordia are an incredibly proud race but also very lonely because they cannot tolerate each other for more than a day, which they use to continue the species, there is cases all over the cosmos of Vordinian's taking 'pets'. The Crown prince is said to have fifty creatures from each major species- all agreed upon first no slavery of course." He quickly explained to Clara who at this point had no idea wether she was coming or going.

"But thats sick keeping people as pets!"

"Oh yeah? What would all of the dogs and cats of planet Earth say to that? Think how you look to the Vordia shackling yourself to one person until you die and sometimes you end up hating them, can't blame the Vordia for figuring out a solution!" Clara remained silent unable to reply because in all fairness it was true.

"However I've never seen a member of the Vordia do this, it's the law of your people that all parties must be in agreement for you to keep people in stasis, that means you've gone rouge."

"I see no issue with what I've done and the offer still stands Miss Oswald if you wish to stay?" The house pointedly ignored all of the Doctors other accusations.

"No no don't think you can just carry on I want to know how you ended up here so far from home,"

'And how you became a house," Clara cut in.

"Oh I can answer that one," The Doctor put his hand in the air as if being called on by a teacher.

"Oh alright you absolute swot I bet all the kids in your class hated you, you were the kid who reminded the teacher about the homework weren't you?" She teased fairly harshly but seeing his downcast look continued on "Go on then tell me how the Vordia became a house," His face lit up like a Christmas tree as he launched into a spiel.

"Well Vordia are a conscious mist, they think and feel and speak but have no physical form beyond a colourful gas, so when they are born depending on their class they are given an object to assume as their body like a vase or statue or something, this one which has abandoned the Vordinian customs has taken on a whole building which in turn is amplifying the power!"

"Very good Doctor you know your stuff but I expected nothing less from a man of Gallifrey," the House taunted.

"I don't understand how does it know all about you?" Clara asked gripping the Doctors arm in an attempt to calm him.

"Like I said lonely creatures, they have a built on system for determining where you are from and what you are so they can befriend you better, at least that's what it was designed for. This Vordinian doesn't seem to fussed about being our friend. Why is that? Before you said you couldn't keep me why not?" The Doctor leaned against the railings of the staircase folding his arms across his chest, he couldn't help but grin when Clara followed suit.

"I need my guests to have a part of them that wants to stay grounded. You sir have never known that feeling." In a split second the Doctor cast a glance to Clara before quickly returning his steely gaze to Nanny.

"These people need to stay grounded because they were all dead when you collected them. They were lost souls that you unrightfully plucked."

"I prefer the term 'conserved'" Nanny's face twisted into a smile.

"This ends. Tonight." He pointed at the ground with a finger before turning to go back to his TARDIS for strategy.

"Oh I'd rather like to see you try Time Lord."

After Clara was safely inside the blue box he slammed the door in rage before resting his palms on the console and heaving a sigh. He didn't know what to do.

"Doctor?" Her voice echoed throughout the room. He turned his head slightly, his old, sad eyes meeting her concerned eyes.

"I'm stuck. I've got nothing." He looked at her almost ashamed of himself his voice cracking at the end.

"You said the Vordia were a kind of gas right a smoke?" She began to pace thinking out loud.

"Yes that's right."

"Well it's kind of like exorcising a demon yeah? We have to expel the Vordia from the house draw it out and take away its source of power?" She looked at him waiting for approval and it came in ten fold.

"YES Clara! You Beautiful genius!" He picked her up in his arms and swung her round before placing a kiss on her forehead, luckily for Clara he was too busy rushing off down the stairs to notice the scarlet rushing across her cheeks.

"What are you doing? What's the plan?" She grinned her eyes twinkling.

"I completely forgot about my Manfloon crystals," The Doctor cupped tiny lapis coloured crystals in his hands, they were slightly thicker than grains of sand and seemed to emit some kind of glow.

"Manfloon crystals?" Clara giggled "You are aware that is the stupidest name ever right?"

"Oi my Great great Aunt Mildred gave me these for my 81st birthday, she was rather strange wore a lot of chunky jewellery and spoke to spirits BUT brilliant at giving presents!"

"What exactly does a _manfloon crystal _do?" Clara raised an eyebrow a hint of mockery in her tone.

"It _extracts,_" He breathed mere inches from her face, if either one of the moved forward slightly it would close the gap both desperately yet secretly wanted to cross. "I'm going to take it into the house and extract the essence of the Vordia from the house, the time loop will stop, repair the patches the evil House as made and hopefully release the Downings from their eternal hell- any questions?" He rambled off his entire plan, a stroke of genius sweeping through him.

"Um a few," Clara cried.

"Well save them for later we haven't got the time,"

"Well I would argue we do considering it's a constant time loop but whatever floats your boat," she murmured under her breath. He gave her a lopsided grin before turning and sprinting out of the door.

Marching back into the house, his plan safely imprinted on his brain the Doctor knew what had to be done.

"OH HOUSIE! HOUSE! COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!" He called at the top of his lungs his voice reverberating throughout the house. In an instance Nanny was there.

Cold. Calculated. Cruel

"So he returns, the over-confident Time Lord, swaggering through time and space with his own little pet at his side," House taunted.

"Funnily enough I don't say woof or go meow, I am not a pet. I'm his friend." Clara said taking his hand in hers.

"Tell me Time Lord can you tell the difference?" The Doctors entire frame seemed to fall, the House was playing games and mentally he was letting it win. Clara could never understand how a man so brilliant could think so little of himself.

"Thats enough you psychotic pile of bricks, leave him alone," Clara hissed "Do what we came here to do Doctor."

He looked at her for assurance like he needed reminding, not of his mission but wether he is capable of doing it. Clara smiled reassuringly and squeezed his hand giving him the confidence the House was trying to syphon from him.

The Doctor let her hand slip from his grip as he stepped forward, towering above Nanny. He held out his hand holding the tiny crystals and simply blew. They spread, flying out, coating Nanny in the almost glow. The blue crystals travelled toward the clock repairing everything in their path.

"You can't stay here. It's inhuman. The Vordia are a peaceful race but you've gone against that. You broke your own natural law and I can't allow that. I am the Doctor, I am the _last _Time Lord. I know the difference between my friends and a pet. So much so that I can ensure you will never be alone again. Loneliest creatures in the universe, which one of us am I talking about? Until the end of time you will remain absorbed in the Manfloon crystals, powerless but never alone.'

"No. NO. Stop this. Stop this now. I granted life. I cared for them. Don't do this. DOCTOR I command you to STOP!"

"You imprisoned them and to learn your lesson you can experience it too. Welcome to eternity."

"Doctor. I think, I think it's ending now." Ruth appeared before them ever so slowly becoming less clear.

"I'm sorry Ruth. I couldn't, I can't save you or them," He hung his head in shame. Failure.

"It's quite alright, you've ended the cycle, this isn't life. It isn't what I wanted for my children…" she trailed off before lifting his head with her hands "Thank you Doctor, we are free." And with that final thanks she was gone taking with her the light of the house, the beautiful furniture and ornate fireplaces leaving behind what was meant to be here all along. A shell. Cobwebs and holes, worn furniture and the cold. Abandoned. An actual reflection of the house in 1965. It was released.

The Manfloon crystals returned to the Doctor's hand, now a shade of sickening yellow, the colour of the Vordinian gas it now held.

"Come on Clara, time to go home." He held out his spare hand to her and they returned to the TARDIS where they belong.

"What happened to the house?" Clara asked quite out of the blue, "Is it ever repaired, taken back to it's former glory?" He leant back against the console and folded his arms, contemplating for a moment.

"We can always take a look? Quick hop to the future theres no danger there now." He offered covertly disguising his desire for her to stay for longer with this side quest.

"Go on then," He smirked before dancing around the TARDIS flicking levers back and forth before rushing to the doors dragging her along behind him.

Stepping out into the street Clara was astonished to see the house beautiful on the outside not just within, lush lawns and sunshine surrounded it and it shone in it's own right.

"What year is it?" She gazed up at him a bit too longingly.

"1984, the repairs finished in 1971." He smiled somehow not noticing the emotion conveyed in her look.

"Who repaired it though, who lives here now?" She questioned. Always so curious.

"Mr Downing. Their Father. He returned, eventually remarried in 1935 and after we left repaired this place," The Doctor smiled, he loves a happy ending.

A young boy barrelled towards them only a toddler, but nearly identical to Stephen and Eden.

"Hello young man whats your name?" Clara bent down to say hello flashing an award winning grin.

"Rufus Downing," He chirped before turning on his heel and trampling back across the grass without a second glance to them.

"He's named after Ruth isn't he?" Clara said. Bittersweet.

"Yes he's Mr Downing's grandson and he named him after her, tragedy will perhaps ease up on this family now give someone else turn," He wrapped his arm around her, guiding her back to the TARDIS, setting course for Wednesday, Clara's time.


	8. Beryllium

**So next part, this time I'm going for a planet. It's just a quick introductory and I decided to focus a little more on their dynamic. Please leave a review or some suggestions it ****genuinely does make my day (That probably sounds pretty sad but oh well) enjoy!.**

"Beryllium!" The Doctor cried "Brilliant Beryllium, one of_ the most beautiful _planets in the entire cosmos, crystal sands and the towering mountains of Fitiavana- they are actually made of the metal Beryllium that's why they named the planet that- it's a wonderful tourist spot so I hope you've got your camera!" He grinned at her from across the console room, Beryllium was guaranteed to impress her and if it didn't nothing he showed her ever would.

"Yup, I've got it locked and loaded, it's a bit of a shame really, I mean I see all of these incredible places and I can't share the pictures anywhere- because lets be real everyone will assume it's photoshop," she sighed, it would be nice if the world could know of the things she's seen but then again Clara loves the bubble her and the Doctor reside in: just the two of them exploring the great expanse of space and time_ together_. She would never give this up. She would never give him up.

"We could always put them up in here?" He said barley above a whisper, suggestion lilting the end of his sentence, he was hesitant, scared of spooking her. Rather than rejecting him like he anticipated (as all lonely men do), Clara simply beamed and nodded her head vigorously.

"Great we can get some today and stick them up around the place, it does look rather _clinical _in here,"

"OI leave the TARDIS alone she's a gorgeous bit of machinery," He began stroking the console "Aren't you dear?" He whispered. When he got like this Clara often assumed he forgot she was here. She wasn't entirely wrong.

"Rightttttt, come along then Romeo, your metal Juliet will still be here when we get back from, Bereyelium? No Beryllium!" Her tone was seeped in mockery but her eyes were full of love. Not that the Doctor could ever tell, he was a fool when it came to Clara however she was the same when it came to him.

"Brilliant." He flicked a switch. "Beautiful." He softly smiled at Clara whilst pushing a button. "Beryllium!" He pulled the final lever his feet sliding along the TARDIS floor in his black lace up boots. It wasn't the easiest journey they've ever had, it never is; Clara was flung into the railings of the stairs and was now clinging on for dear life and she assumed that screaming sound must be coming from her mouth. Meanwhile the Doctor was howling with laughter as his 'sexy' flew rather clumsily toward the awesome planet. After the TARDIS landed with a final wheeze Clara thumped to the ground letting her iron grip of the bar go. The Doctor immediately ran round to offer his hand which she readily accepted, swiping a few stray hairs from her eyes as she rose from the ground.

"Outside of those doors is the 478th wonder of the known universe. Ready to take a look?" He grinned like a Cheshire Cat, still holding her hand.

"I'm always ready," she smirked stepping closer causing his eyes to grow wide, the eleventh never dealt with flirting well, like an awkward teenager. Instead he turned gripping her hand tighter and dragged her out of the doors onto the planet waiting beyond.

Stepping onto the soft sands of the planet Clara was astounded to see they were white, not the kind you'd see on some beautiful beach on the cover of a glossy magazine but a stark, pure white that's almost blinding if you stare for too long. Beyond the sand was a lavender lagoon, the water lapped and hissed against the shores completely separate from any sea yet still moving ever so gently.

"The gravitational pull of this planet causes all of the water to move like that, it's physics, physics, physics, physics." The Doctor leaned in close nearly breaking the spell that had Clara entranced but not quite. Her eyes were glazed over with awe, the three orange suns of the sky lighting them like pools of honey. Slowly she made her way towards the edge of the lagoon before abruptly halting; towering above her were two spires intricately woven together like vines morphing and growing, forever twisting as if they were alive. Atop each tower was a light, one an emerald green that seemed to stare into your soul and the other a baby blue, blinding but peaceful that seemed to detract the ominous presence of the green.

"It's…it's," Clara stammered she couldn't find the words to comprehend the sight before her, it was all so surreal. A dream of a dream.

"Take your time," He appeared beside her once more, arms behind his back, rocking on his heels as much as the sand would allow. The Doctor lived for these moments the amazement dripping from her smile, the look of wonder permanently etched on her face: what he would give to see that look permanently, to never let it fade.

"It's magnificent, incredible, wonderful!" She cried giggling and jumping up and down like a kid on a sugar rush (usually that was the doctors job).

"Fantastic?" He raised an eyebrow a personal joke with himself.

"Fantastic." Clara repeated firmly.

"Right, gimme that camera of yours I'll take a photo of you in front of the Fitiavana towers," she tossed him the camera before jogging further down the beach and striking a pose her arms splayed wide between the spires. With a simple click the Doctor has the perfect picture: in his mind she always took the perfect picture.

Checking just to make sure, he studied his impossible girl beaming back at him from the screen, the ends of her chestnut hair blew softly in the breeze and the wondrous face he adored so much was captured here forever. He couldn't help but note the sundress she wore, a clementine orange decorated with cornflower blue flowers, it hugged her _tightly, _too tightly- snap out of hit his own mind seemed to hiss. Did she have to wear such short skirts? It made it impossible for a man to think. Well he shouldn't be surprised everything about her was impossible, it's all one beautiful enigmatic package.

"Great, you're a one hit wonder," he joked returning the camera to her. "Oh I almost forgot, prolonged exposure to Beryllium can cause lung issues in humans, I'll need to give you your shot." He expressed an apologetic grimace, but it was for her own good.

"This is going to hurt isn't it?" She pouted.

"No not at all," Clara simply raised an eyebrow and tilted her head unconvinced. "Ok maybe a little but it's better than lung failure right?"

"Yeah I guess, hit me chinny," she scrunched up her eyes managing to miss his irritated look at her nickname for him.

"OW that hurt more than a little!" She screeched accusation seeping from her voice.

"Whoops, I lied. Thats what you get for calling me chinny…" He began to walk away from her backwards, a smirk teasing at the corners of his mouth. He wasn't getting away that easy.

"You love it when I call you chinny," she taunted him straight back, barley missing a beat. She loved nothing more than their flirty conversations back and forth like a tennis match: boy did Clara love to win.

"I guess you're right," he admitted allowing her to link their arms, "I do love it.".


	9. Dream State

**So something went completely wrong with this chapter and I have no idea what it may have been using italics before I copy and pasted on to here no clue? I'm so sorry for anyone who clicked on this and was disappointed though I doubt you were too heartbroken here we go again let's hope it works this time (fingers crossed) I said before I was considering doing an M rated chapter next but making it skippable if that's something you want let me know! Enjoy! (please please let this work)**

Her hair whipped around her face and she tried her best to control it, tucking it behind her ears again and again but the silent gale refused to give in. Beryllium was famed for it's soundless, wild winds. However today the Doctor could not fault them as they created the delicious sight of a mini skirted sun dress flying ever so agonisingly upwards; although not high up enough. His hearts seemed to do a marimba in his chest, strong enough to burst straight out of his shirt and he was terrified she could see it if only she looked his way. How can you fear something but want it so desperately?

He'd brought her here in hopes of getting some answers on his own personal enigma, as he failed to tell her the true purpose of the Fitiavana towers. The calming baby blue did just that: it calmed. It relaxed your soul and your body to a certain extent so that the jade green could enter it. They revealed your purpose, your goals, your secret desires. The Doctor needed answers and this was how he was going to get them, if this process involves a fun outing with his soufflé girl who is he to complain?

"Where are we off to then?" She asked. So curious. So perfect.

"We are off to the Margolia Clinic." He said rather cryptically.

"A clinic? Like a hospital or a spa?" Clara looked at him with concern "Are you sick? Am I sick?"

"No no no," He chuckled a throaty sound that made Clara happier than it should have. "It's a dream centre."

"A dream centre?"

"A dream centre!" He nodded the pair laughing in bliss. Simplicity.

"Care to enlighten me on what exactly a dream centre is?"

"Come on Clara it's in the title a centre for dreams!" She halted, folding her arms and sighing. "Alright, the towers are the energy they use- the Elveieré the people of this planet- they discovered the true power of the towers and learned to harness that power," he brought his hands together in the shape of claws like he was holding a ball of energy, "this energy allows you to experience your dreams fully, bottle them if you wish, they've made a massive trade on it here, species come from far and wide for this; it's an experience you don't want to miss." He finished with a clap of his hands and Clara grinned back haplessly.

"Brilliant, sounds lie fun, lead the way," she held her hand out in faux dramatic fashion and shrieked with delight as he dragged her off, running up a pure white sand dune.

At the top of the hill stood the clinic, a metallic grey colour that was formed into the shape of an oval and towered twenty stories high. It was beautiful if not rather strange amongst the beach and sunset skies.

"Come on in we go," he grinned before taking off again tugging Clara along behind him.

The room was expansive, it seemed to be never-ending, Clara looked up and saw balconies extending for miles each barred off with a turquoise, transparent railing like glass. Every kind of creature seemed to be bustling through the lobby at that very moment, the Doctor looped an arm around her shoulder and bent down so he was the same height.

"Those green aliens there, that's slitheen, the rhinos are judoon and ooh a hath! Like I said everyone from everywhere comes for this experience," he sprinted off to the front desk leaving Clara in a swarm of what seemed like millions of different aliens. After a minute or two that felt like an eternity he reappeared waving a golden ticket like a madman.

"I got the luxury package, skips the queues, you get a bottle for free and can go as many times as you like! I have," he cleared his throat slightly guiltily "Unlimited credit…" Clara simply raised an eyebrow.

"You used the sonic and cheated the credit, didn't you?"

"Yup! And aren't you glad? It's for your benefit Miss Oswald," he grinned cheekily and guided her into one of the turquoise glass lifts. He hit the button for the 17th floor and they were off.

"Welcome to floor 17 of the Margolia dream clinic, where all your dreams come true." A human hologram appeared before them like an air hostess.

"Bit cheesy," Clara whispered to the Doctor and he huffed a breath of air out in amusement.

"We have chosen this hologram as best suited to you but if you wish to change it the settings are on the panel to your left," she gestured like an air hostess too.

"If the settings are to your liking please make your way into the dream pod and lay down on the beds provided for your dream state to be induced." Her gleaming smile remained plastered on her face.

"Dream state?" Clara asked, looking to the Doctor to provide answers as usual.

"You have different stages of sleep like REM, thats your dream state. It's just a way of getting you there quicker. When you go in they'll ask you for some key words to determine your dream, remember golden ticket you can have as many goes as you like," he patted her on the back and pushed her towards the door quite rapidly like he had something to do which of course he did.

The door sealed itself behind her leaving the Doctor alone. There was another pod but he wasn't ready for it just yet. Instead he reached into his tweed jacket and grabbed his sonic, he wasn't scanning anything today- no today he was hacking. The Doctor went to the panel by her door (this is where the information is processed) and pointed his screwdriver in putting his own key words.

"Starship Alaska, Oswin, Victorian barmaid/governess, what do you want?".

Meanwhile inside the room Clara was getting comfortable on the bed, it was like a more comfortable beach lounger. The walls were stark white, not bright but clinical, definitely suited to the place. The stewardess hologram appeared again.

"Welcome dear guest, I understand you are here for our luxury package, please state your deepest desires as we tap into your subconscious, enjoy your stay."

"Ok then this is only slightly creepy, um my mum, I'd like to see my mum- please," A pill dispensed from a panel on the wall it was red and white like a peppermint.

"Please take this pill to enter your dream state." Clara popped the pill into her mouth and swallowed a gulp of the water which had appeared with it. Settling in, she closed her eyes expecting a slow send off but was instead greeted with a sensation like walking into a brick wall before a slumber like no other.

_"Clara, wheres my Clara got to?" She heard a child giggle. It was her giggling. "Oh Clara I'm going to find you," It sounded like her mum but it wasn't, her accent wasn't from Lancashire but cockney it was disconcerting. She peeked through the cupboard door- what was she doing in a cupboard? Oh it didn't matter. There was her mum, her lovely amazing mum. Alive. But what was she wearing? What she always wore of course her navy dress with her apron. Why was all of this so strange to her? It seemed wrong but right…_

_"There she is my Clara!" Her mum had thrown open the cupboard door and was now reaching for her._

_"You found me!"_

_"I'll always find you my darling."_

_Time seemed to pass in an instance. No it didn't, she just grew that's all. She was 18 now and working in a bar? Why on earth was she in a bar? Because this is where her job was of course. Why was she so confused? _

_Again it seemed to slip by in a flash, her and her mother were as close as ever despite her new job as a nanny- no a governess. Miss Montague she called herself whilst she was there, it did allow her to work above her station, that's all her mother ever wanted for her._

_She was in the bar helping out that Christmas when she saw him tucked away in the corner, he wore a burgundy top hat and a fantastical bow tie. He was the most intriguing man she had ever seen. For some reason she felt every inhibition disappear like they were never there at all. She sauntered up to his table with no fear and leant over it, resting her head in her hands, her elbows firmly planted into the table, unable to be shifted. She was well aware of the view she was giving the mysterious stranger in her tight, scarlet dress. Corsets did her many favours._

_"Hello stranger, never seen you round here before," she was shocked by the sound of her own voice, the accent wasn't hers. Of course it was._

_"I keep myself to myself." He smiled weakly._

_"Oh. How comes that then?" She plopped herself down next to him forgetting her job for the moment, completely enamoured by him. Like he was all she wanted. For some reason no one interrupted, like they had forgotten her or knew not to disturb._

_"Nothing has ever interested me to do otherwise." He took off his pair of round glasses and tucked them into his jacket, turning all of his attention to her and she revelled in it. _

_"Thats a pity, maybe I can help with that?" She was plainly flirting, it was so out of her comfort zone but felt amazing like this is what she always wanted to do._

_"Maybe you can. But not tonight I'm afraid." Abruptly he rose from the table and tipped his hat to her before exiting into the cold winter night outside the pub, allowing the freezing hand of cold to grip the room. Clara didn't care. The cold barley affected her, she knew she needed to be out there right this minute if she was to be happy. Satisfied._

_"Oi." She called in to the night. "I thought we was just getting acquainted." Had she said that before? Of course not._

_The mysterious gentleman turned to face her and smirked ready to say something however Clara had other plans. She strode over to him with purpose and gripped his face in her hands. She dragged his lips down to hers and pushed him against the brick wall of the alleyway. His hands flailed at his side for a brief moment and she almost giggled- that was so him. No she'd never met him before. _

_His hands seemed to understand what was happening eventually and gripped her hips pulling her closer to him. _

_Ecstasy. _

_They seemed to roam everywhere knowing where she wanted them to go before she did. He kissed her neck and moved ever so slowly down to her collarbone eliciting a moan she didn't know she was suppressing. His hands moved to her hair holding the back of her head like he'd done it a million times before. He turned her head and planted butterfly kisses along her jaw releasing her lips allowing one word to escape them. "Doctor." _

_She knew his name. How? It didn't matter as long as he kept holding her like that. She felt a teasing hand move up her leg, drawing lines against her thigh and she was prepared to go further, with the snow dancing around them. In the street. But then it came a voice she knew that wasn't of this place._

"Dream state ending in five, four," _God no. Don't let this end. He was groaning her name 'Clara' like a prayer_. "Three, two,"_ please let this continue._ "One. Welcome back dear guest. We hope you enjoyed your experience."

Clara's eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light surrounding her now. She was struggling to remember the dream she'd just had. Flashes of her mum and weirdly the Victorian climate it was set in. Oh and one other thing the feeling of pure bliss though she couldn't remember why but God she craved it again.

"Um hologram lady?" She called.

"Hello dear guest." She reappeared the smile still intact. For some reason it just creeped Clara out.

"I have the luxury package right that means I can go again?"

"Of course, please take another pill." Clara repeated the same process again and nestled back in to her bed.

_"Oswin Oswald, junior entertainment manager Starship Alaska." She heard herself say._


	10. The Doctor's Dream

**WARNING M RATED CONTENT. If it's not your thing it's totally skippable that was the entire point of this chapter it doesn't really further the story so you can skip ahead as I know it's not what everyone is into. In all fairness this is my first time ever writing anything like this- please be gentle! it's probably awful but I can only improve from here. Also I'm not sure but if I have a chapter like this do I need to give the whole story an M rating or just the chapters like this where I put it at the start If anyone knows please let me know because I don't want this getting taken down because I'm a moron. Again enjoy i'm sorry if this is the worst thing you've ever read.**

The Doctor had been patiently sat on a sleek bench outside of the dream pod rooms awaiting the results from Clara's dreams. He had implanted his own memories in her subconscious to see if it triggered anything, any kind of memory of her previous lives. His sonic would be able to get the dream data from the cloud- a massive database where the dreams of every guest is held. However he was having to stave off insanity because he had been watching the same introduction video for the past half hour. On a loop. "Welcome dear guest," the hologram prattled off again and again. It was enough to drive a man over the edge. It seemed that Clara was enjoying the dream pod just like he hoped she would, it wouldn't make too much of a difference if he went in would it? Just quickly. He weighed out all of the options: would his dreams be sweet or nightmares? What if Clara came out and he was gone? (He couldn't inflict the welcome video on her).

After what seemed like eternity the golden ticket got the better of him and he found himself swallowing a peppermint-esque pill in his own dream pod.

However there was one thing he failed to calculate in his argument. As he whispered the word "Gallifrey" and closed his eyes, his own genius came back to interfere. He had inputted they key words for both pods.

"Starship Alaska, Oswin, Victorian barmaid/governess, what do you want?".

What did he want?

_"__You kissed me!" He cried rather alarmed._

_"__You blushed." He hadn't expected this. Not at all. He had his wife, well a dead wife but sometimes she showed up and there was Rose. Gone but always on his mind. How had this stunning Victorian girl shown up and thrown everything off kilter? That may have been the stupidest question the Doctor had ever asked himself and he once considered naming a newt Mildred, the newt preferred Allan however (The Doctor speaks newt of course). But here he was enamoured with this beautiful girl stood before him and he was quite concerned to discover: he liked it._

_Within the blink of an eye they had climbed the iron staircase ascending into the night sky above. The Doctor had of course done this before and as he savoured the moment of Clara being awestruck by the TARDIS he made a conscious effort to shut the door behind them. Not that it mattered anyhow this was a dream, the ice woman would never reach them if he didn't desire it. He offered her the key and she readily accepted with a small laugh that somehow rang like the clearest bells in his ears- the Doctor assumed this must be the dream many sounds become distorted when in the pod, although the romantic in him simply wanted to believe that's what her voice sounded like. Here she was in front of him, perfect. Exactly like his Clara in the other room but more forward in matters of the heart and for some reason that was all he desired. This wasn't Gallifrey but right now he couldn't care less._

_This Clara seemed pre-programmed and understood what her purpose was. She made her way towards him agonisingly slowly before trapping him between her and the console, pressing her figure against him in the most delightful way. For an action so simple it seemed to light him on fire. Dreams, they make everything better. _

_"__Like I said before, you're going to have to take those clothes of," he murmured into her ear before at long last returning his lips to hers, kissing her as if it was his final act on this planet. Every move. Every dart of his tongue. Every prolonged breath shared between them. It was all in effort to memorise every part of her, the beautiful curve of her plump bottom lip and the way she groaned lightly like she was holding something back. Every single detail of this dream was like a perfect inferno. It felt so good it hurt._

_He wanted her clothes gone and so it was done, dreams were efficient. However this didn't continue with the Victorian Clara theme, it morphed into something different. Something very red. _

_She stood before him, still holding him against the console but her governess dress was gone in it's place red lingerie, pushing certain assets closer to his ever longing eyes. He gave a small growl he didn't even know he was repressing, who knew he had such an infatuation with crimson underwear?_

_He grew tired of letting her call the shots, she may be the boss in reality but in his own fantasy just this once he would be in control. He grasped her hips and flipped them over lifting her onto the console. Her breath hitched as he descended onto her neck, nipping and biting, marking what was his. He found the perfect point immediately between her neck and collar bone (God bless dreams) and unleashed an assault that left her crying out from the tiniest of movements. Her slender hands reached up into his hair, gripping it tight and pulling him even closer to her if that was physically possible. His hands were still firmly planted on her hips though he was inching them closer and closer to his own taunting himself as he kept her at a distance, he loved the long game._

_Clara was panting now, an irresistible sound that he feared he would soon crave from reality. Oh who cares she's here now and he was going to enjoy this._

_Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck forcing his lips back to hers and her legs followed suit pressing his crotch firmly to her underwear which was steadily becoming wetter with every kiss. She allowed her hands to fall and grazed her nails along his back. Since when was he naked? Ah dream he reminded himself. _

_He removed her bra and flung it across the console room, he'd miss that attractive piece of material but the sight before him now was worth it. Clara's heaving chest, her eyes wide and begging for him, her mouth slightly agape. Any man would be shrouded in lust, God knows what it was doing to him right now. He manoeuvred his hands to her breast and fully unleashed every desire he had ever had about them. Licking and sucking. Nipping and fondling. Every dirty thought he had ever had about his impossible girl was being turned into reality. God he wishes she wasn't joking about the snog box. The final tweak of her nipple, which was firmly erect due to the cool air of the TARDIS, elicited an ungodly moan from his soufflé girl that somehow made him more aroused than he was before though he seriously doubted that was possible. The teasing had him solid and he was desperate for her, to hear her calling his name, mewling with desperation. This overgrowing need only grew stronger when she ground her hips against his erection. Eventually he snapped and knew it was now or never._

_"__Clara, my Clara please, please," he was begging her. In his own dream. God this woman had a hold on him._

_She simply kissed him as answer and he understood what that meant perfectly. Achingly slowly he entered her dripping wet folds and nearly cried out from the sheer pleasure of his current experience. Allowing her to adjust he began to move in and out in long, passionate strokes, every sensation like a burning fire running along his skin. She clung to him even tighter trying to close the millimetre gap between them. He was thoroughly lost in ecstasy and Clara's repeated cries of "faster" only pushed him further into it. He was intoxicated. Drunk on the feel of her skin, the touch of her hands that roamed across his chest, the scent that was so uniquely her. All of it made him dizzy. His breath was becoming erratic as he quickened his pace at Clara's demanding request, in an out, his orgasm building like a ball of energy ready to burst. Clara was burying her head in neck however she periodically cried to the heavens "Jesus Christ," again and again, sinning in more ways than one. His carnal need, the itch that had to be scratched was finally being dealt with and it was incredible. He felt Clara begin to tremble in his arms, her nails digging into his skin like claws, her only grip before the beautiful fall. A sharp cry escaped her lips as she praised his name again and again "Doctor" as he brought her to her climax his fingers stroking her clit coaxing her to the end. The rippling sensation she felt seemed to transfer to him as he finally came undone by his impossible girl, his entire life force was in her hands and she was bringing it crashing down like waves on rocks. He moaned her name the most sensual thing in the world to him at this point: so sinful yet so needed. The final burst came with such power it could have been his next regeneration. He grew weak as she drained him of everything; like putty in her hands. He barley had time to catch his breath between the snatches of kisses they were sharing when the voice appeared for him too. _

"Dream state ending in five, four, three, two, one".


	11. Uploaded

**Wow I have been gone a very long while I have been so unbelievably busy but now it's safe to say I am back with a vengeance and I am actually going to update this thing! I have updated the rating to M just to be safe and I actually have a new story idea, an AU for the same pairing so I might have that ready for Monday or Tuesday.**

**If any of you are still about and haven't given up on me I thank you greatly and I hope you enjoy this next part which is furthering our story/next adventure. Enjoy!**

The Doctor heaved out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. He'd forgotten just how…realistic those dream states were. Clara still hadn't left her dream pod yet, she must really be enjoying it and he was delighted at that thought: he loved when he found something to impress her (even when there was a slight ulterior motive involved).

Impatience taking over him, he began scanning the stats presented from her dreams.

Strange.

No data present. The bold, red words flooded the screen and the lack of charts and statistics made him nervous. Maybe she got confused? No, that's not like Clara she's far to clever not to be able to take a pill when it's explained and given to her. Feeling panic rise through his throat, the Doctor scanned his own stats and unsuccessfully attempted to hide a fierce blush. All of his dream data was there. All of it. Quickly erasing the evidence to match the red message on the adjacent pod he returned his attention to Clara. Now you aren't _technically_ allowed to enter a pod when someone else is inside however the Doctor doubted the rules were written with him in mind. Bursting through the sliding door he was relived to see her lying there, her face soft. All the worries gone leaving nothing but beauty behind- serene. He ran a hand along her hair and couldn't help but smile as she leaned into his hand. Yet she didn't wake up.

"Clara, come on Clara time to wake up," he whispered to her softly not trying to spook her but even then, nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"Clara?" He called louder now. No response.

"CLARA!" He shook her shoulders gently, so small in his hands. She wasn't waking up. He did a medic scan with his screwdriver and the words he read formed a lump in his throat that rose and rose with every second. Comatose.

The lump transformed into a silent scream that choked him. He did this. He brought her here just to see what she was thinking. Selfish.

Selfish. But determined. Nothing could stop him now.

He stormed his way through the clinic, pushing past everything in his way, intent on the front desk. Eventually after disturbing enough of the other paying customers, the hologram hostess appeared at the end of each corridor to threaten him with a fine- somehow the cold smile remained intact. But he ignored all of that, simply manoeuvring every outraged alien from his path and silencing those who dared speak out with a steely glare.

Finally reaching the front desk he slammed his fists on the long white counter, "Tell me why my friend has gone into one of YOUR dream pods and is now in a coma?" The Doctor demanded fury seeping through.

"The Margolia Clinic apologies for your inconvenience. A full refund will be deposited into your account, thank you for joining us we hope your dreams came true." The same irritating hologram prattled off. His features softened and his shoulders relaxed.

"Right so you are waking her up then? Just a minor hiccup?"

"The Margolia Clinic apologies for your inconvenience, we cannot wake up customer #319864, your refund has been fully deposited, thank your for joining us we ho-"

"That isn't an inconvenience! My friend is in a bloody coma! You best believe I'm getting her out of it, just you watch me!" He raged and began to stalk off to fix the issue before turning back "and her name is Clara."

He was sat by her bed holding her slender hand in his, completely unsure of what to do next when a cough erupted from behind him. He whipped around to see an Elveieré timidly standing by the door. He was a small, dwarfish creature with orange fur and oversized rat ears. His claws were clasped before him and his head was lowered (this race is famous for avoiding conflict, thats why they employ the holograms everywhere).

"Excuse me sir but I'm here about your friend," He shakily gestured to Clara and in turn the Doctor clutched her hand tighter, fiercely protective until the end.

"I assume the holograms struggle to deal with this so they've sent a real person for once?" He said rising from his chair which sent the rat like creature scurrying back.

"Oh no sir, the board of governors view the situation as dealt with- you got a refund,"

"MY FRIEND IS LYING THERE NEAR LIFELESS DO YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT MONEY!" He bellowed, fury rising from within.

The Elveieré scampered behind the door cowering, his orange claws curling around it.

"Please sir, don't you see, I'm not with the board! I brought my son, Aze, as a birthday treat, he didn't wake up either, and no, no one else is looking for answers,"

The Doctor's shoulders fell, the seething anger draining as he flopped back into his chair and clasped Clara's hand once more. He should have known better to shout an Elveieré, they just can't take it.

"I'm sorry, for shouting and for your son. I'm the Doctor no need to bother with 'sir' and this" he gestured to Clara with is free hand "is Clara."

The alien edged his way round the door and came towards the doctor extending a paw, "I'm Glexonicogustavius, everyone calls me Gus," the Doctor shook hands with the creature a small smile tweaking at his lips.

"Thank goodness for the nickname, thats probably going to save us some time," Gus smiled back weakly.

"Now Doctor this is the important thing, I work at the bureau- our local government- and there's been a lot of hush hush talk. The people are being uploaded."

"Uploaded?"

"Yes uploaded, in the past three months 75 of the clinic's customers have gone into comas like Miss Clara, not a staggering number to keep suspicion low but high enough that it's not a natural phenomenon, the clinic has been open for 23 Earth years, that's 213 on Beryllium, and only 4 have ever gone into comas in all that time," Gus rattled off in a low whisper, a scratchy undertone in his fairly deep voice.

"That's a staggering increase," The Doctor replied, leaning in captivated.

"Indeed. Whatever this 'Uploading' is it cannot be good." Gus' eyes scanned around him scouting for anyone coming.

"Well Gus, I am very glad to meet you and on my life I promise I will get you your son back, along with Clara and the other 73 victims." He vowed rising from his chair with a determined yet reassuring smile set in his face. He turned and planted a kiss on Clara's hand a quietly whispered in her ear "I'm coming back for you and you will be awake, I swear." Turning back to Gus, his hand feeling empty without the weight of hers, he announced their first port of call, "If they are being uploaded it's going somewhere like data. We need to check the mainframe."

"How old was Aze?" The Doctor asked filling the silence as they manoeuvred through the rabbit warren of server systems beneath the clinic.

"In Earth years, he was 10, we lost his mother a while back and it was a gift so he could see her again."

"I'm sorry, no boy should grow up without a mother." The Doctor stopped to scan one of the towering databanks, "Not this one." He frowned before carrying, on the silence returning.

"Was she your girlfriend?" Gus asked causing the Doctor to abruptly stop.

"No, no of course not. Why? Did it seem like she was?" He questioned inches from Gus' snout.

"No, no sorry I just thought you seemed rather affectionate with her, my mistake." The Doctor swivelled round a red blush rising on the tip of his ears. Gus simply smiled knowing not to push, the answers would come to him.

"I mean she's my best friend," He carried on causing Gus to stifle a giggle "But under no circumstances are we dating, she's too short. And bossy." He continued on oblivious to anything around him "Also her nose is too upturned, like a ski slope, there is no planet in any solar system that I consider Clara my girlfriend."

"I'm sorry for asking," Gus said knowing this was unlikely to be the end, an internal sigh running through him as he realised just how long this conversation was going to be with all of the databanks ahead.

_She seemed to be slipping between, sometimes it was dark and she couldn't remember who she was: soulless. Sometimes she was sublimely happy, tumbling about with a madman in a room that was bigger on the inside. Other times she was in different lives altogether, but the same man was always present. At least she thinks he is. This same brilliant man was the only constant, gripping on to her hand amidst the madness and the dark. Until he let go. Now she's falling but grounded. Trapped but free. Clara but no one. _

_Soulless._


End file.
